SkyOS beta 6762 has been released. "SkyOS Beta 6762 is now available to download directly from the Beta Center. This build features the new Viewer, a huge performance increase, 36 additional API Classes, updated libraries, a new font alpha blending method, 280+ fixed bugs including critical boot bug fixes."

If you don't like paying to beta test SkyOS, just don't use it. Don't complain.

Everything I've seen and heard about SkyOS, it seems like a really really really great OS, and I would like to beta test it I just haven't had chance this far.. But yeah, it sure looks very pretty, even if the UI looks are a few years old! And the new Viewer..well, I just wish Nautilus would do the same!! As much as I like open-source I also do appreciate high-quality code and SkyOS seems to be the latter, all the way through (Note: this may be a bit biased opinion since this is based on just the screenshot and -casts, no need to complain to me)

I often find myself asking why it is that so many OSS users and coders seem to think that everything should be OSS. I mean, OSS is great, and I do think there is a great place in the computing world for it, but it cannot, or should not, be seen as a be all and end all.

I find that the best projects that use OSS are those that combine fine proprietary systems or programs with OSS foundations the way OS X does. I have yet to give SkyOS a try, but I can definitely see myself using a system like this in the future, and the fact that it is not Open Source does not bother me at all.

There is no real benefit for the user in "proprietary". If the same software would be available in a proprietary fashion or free, as in speech, the latter would always be the better choice.

But it is not always the best choice, monitary wise, for the developer. It would probably be no good choice for Coca Cola to give away their formula to everyone.

That said, I can understand users who don't want to forego the additional rights and power free software gives to them, even if they have to live with reduced functionality. For example, it is perfectly reasonable to not run software you don't have full control of in general. And enforcing free software is in effect enforcing your own rights, as a user.